Illustration of Cockles

Cockles

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Ocean Wise Recommended

Ocean Wise

Variety

Cockles

Anadara spp., Arca granosa, Cerastoderma edule, Clinocardium nuttallii, Austrovenus stutchburyi

Method

Farmed

Bottom Culture

Location

Worldwide

Overall Rating

7.01 / 10

Market Names

Basket Cockle, Blood Cockle, Cockle, Common Cockle, New Zealand Cockle

Summary

Effluent: Farmed cockles are not provided nutrient fertilization. Effluent may be released from the hatchery or nursery phases, but this is not considered to have any negative effects on the environment, and filter-feeding of cockles during grow-out is often cited as improving water quality and/or nutrient cycling in the vicinity near farms. In isolated cases, anti-predator netting or other plastics may be unintentionally released from the farm, but this is not typical, particularly in regions that dominate cockle production globally.

 

Habitat: Farmed cockle grow-out operations are primarily located in intertidal or shallow subtidal environments of estuaries, coastal lagoons and bays, all of which are generally considered high- value environments. However, the impact of farmed cockle operations on habitat is considered to be minimal, with the main concerns stemming from bio-deposition and harvest.

 

Feed: Cockle farming does not require external feed. Cockles obtain nutrients by filtering water, which also serves to improve water quality and/or nutrient cycling in the vicinity near farms.

 

Disease: Diseases in farmed cockles can occur at every stage of production, from the hatchery to grow- out. Farmed cockle grow-out systems are open to the natural environment and there is the possibility of disease exchange between wild and farmed animals. However, biosecurity measures have been put in place from the individual farm level to the intergovernmental and international levels, which reduce the risk of parasite and pathogen infection.

Learn more about harvest methods

Ocean Wise Recommended

Ocean Wise

Variety

Cockles

Anadara spp., Arca granosa, Cerastoderma edule, Clinocardium nuttallii, Austrovenus stutchburyi

Method

Farmed

Off-Bottom Culture

Location

Worldwide

Overall Rating

7.01 / 10

Market Names

Basket Cockle, Blood Cockle, Cockle, Common Cockle, New Zealand Cockle

Summary

Effluent: Farmed cockles are not provided nutrient fertilization. Effluent may be released from the hatchery or nursery phases, but this is not considered to have any negative effects on the environment, and filter-feeding of cockles during grow-out is often cited as improving water quality and/or nutrient cycling in the vicinity near farms. In isolated cases, anti-predator netting or other plastics may be unintentionally released from the farm, but this is not typical, particularly in regions that dominate cockle production globally.

 

Habitat: Farmed cockle grow-out operations are primarily located in intertidal or shallow subtidal environments of estuaries, coastal lagoons and bays, all of which are generally considered high- value environments. However, the impact of farmed cockle operations on habitat is considered to be minimal, with the main concerns stemming from bio-deposition and harvest.

 

Feed: Cockle farming does not require external feed. Cockles obtain nutrients by filtering water, which also serves to improve water quality and/or nutrient cycling in the vicinity near farms.

 

Disease: Diseases in farmed cockles can occur at every stage of production, from the hatchery to grow- out. Farmed cockle grow-out systems are open to the natural environment and there is the possibility of disease exchange between wild and farmed animals. However, biosecurity measures have been put in place from the individual farm level to the intergovernmental and international levels, which reduce the risk of parasite and pathogen infection.

Learn more about harvest methods

Ocean Wise Recommended

Ocean Wise

Variety

Cockles, New Zealand

Austrovenus stutchburyi

Method

Wild

Dredges (Hand)

Location

FAO 81 (Southwest Pacific Ocean): New Zealand

Overall Rating

3.441 / 5

Market Names

Clam, Cockle, Littleneck Clam, Tuaki, Tuangi, Venus

Summary

Abundance: Stock healthy and overfishing is not occuring.


Bycatch: Considered low, and undersized cockles and other species that are caught are returned to the ocean often alive.


Habitat: Harvest within sandy seafloor habitat causes some negative habitat impacts but certain sites are closed the to mitigate them.

Learn more about harvest methods

Ocean Wise Recommended

Ocean Wise

Variety

Cockles, New Zealand

Austrovenus stutchburyi

Method

Wild

Hand Implements

Location

FAO 81 (Southwest Pacific Ocean): New Zealand

Overall Rating

3.441 / 5

Market Names

Clam, Cockle, Littleneck Clam, Tuaki, Tuangi, Venus

Summary

Abundance: Stock healthy and overfishing is not occuring.


Bycatch: Extremely low, harvest method is highly selective and undersized cocklesare returned to the ocean alive.

Learn more about harvest methods

Ocean Wise Recommended

Ocean Wise

Variety

Cockles, New Zealand

Austrovenus stutchburyi

Method

Wild

Dredges (Mechanized or Harvesting Machines)

Location

FAO 81 (Southwest Pacific Ocean): New Zealand

Overall Rating

3.441 / 5

Market Names

Clam, Cockle, Littleneck Clam, Tuaki, Tuangi, Venus

Summary

Abundance: Stock healthy and overfishing is not occuring.


Bycatch: Considered low, and undersized cockles and other species that are caught are returned to the ocean often alive.


Habitat: Harvest within sandy seafloor habitat causes some negative habitat impacts but certain sites are closed the to mitigate them.

Learn more about harvest methods

Ocean Wise Recommended

Ocean Wise

Eco-Certification:

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) - Dee Estuary Cockle

Variety

Cockle, Common

Cerastoderma edule

Method

Wild

Miscellaneous Gear

Location

FAO Area 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

Eco-Certification

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
Dee Estuary Cockle

Market Names

Common Edible Cockle

Summary

Rationale: Ocean Wise recommends some, but not all Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fisheries. Click to learn more about how the MSC certification was benchmarked to Ocean Wise. This fishery meets conservation standards to become OWS recommended.

Learn more about harvest methods

Ocean Wise Recommended

Ocean Wise

Eco-Certification:

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) - South Australia Lakes and Coorong Pipi

Variety

Cockles, Goolwa

Donax deltoides

Method

Wild

Miscellaneous Gear

Location

FAO Area 57 (Indian Ocean, Eastern)

Eco-Certification

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
South Australia Lakes and Coorong Pipi

Market Names

Australia cockle, Coorong cockle, Pipi

Summary

Rationale: Ocean Wise recommends some, but not all Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fisheries. Click to learn more about how the MSC certification was benchmarked to Ocean Wise. This fishery meets conservation standards to become OWS recommended.

Learn more about harvest methods

Ocean Wise Recommended

Ocean Wise

Eco-Certification:

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) - Burry Inlet Cockles

Variety

Cockle, Common

Cerastoderma edule

Method

Wild

Traps

Location

FAO Area 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

Eco-Certification

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
Burry Inlet Cockles

Market Names

Common Edible Cockle

Summary

Learn more about harvest methods

Ocean Wise Recommended

Ocean Wise

Eco-Certification:

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) - DFPO mussel, cockle and oyster

Variety

Cockle

Cerastoderma edule

Method

Wild

Dredges

Location

FAO Area 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

Eco-Certification

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
DFPO mussel, cockle and oyster

Market Names

Summary

Learn more about harvest methods

Ocean Wise Recommended

Ocean Wise

Eco-Certification:

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) - Thames cockle dredge

Variety

Cockle, Common

Cerastoderma edule

Method

Wild

Dredges (Mechanized or Harvesting Machines)

Location

FAO Area 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

Eco-Certification

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
Thames cockle dredge

Market Names

Common Edible Cockle

Summary

Rationale: Ocean Wise recommends some, but not all Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fisheries. Click to learn more about how the MSC certification was bench-marked to Ocean Wise. This fishery meets conservation standards to become OWS recommended.

Learn more about harvest methods

Ocean Wise Recommended

Ocean Wise

Eco-Certification:

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) - The Poole Harbour Clam & Cockle Fishery

Variety

Cockle, Common

Cerastoderma edule

Method

Wild

Dredges (Vessel Towed)

Location

FAO Area 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

Eco-Certification

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
The Poole Harbour Clam & Cockle Fishery

Market Names

Common Edible Cockle

Summary

Rationale: Ocean Wise recommends some, but not all Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fisheries. Click to learn more about how the MSC certification was bench-marked to Ocean Wise. This fishery meets conservation standards to become OWS recommended.

Learn more about harvest methods

Ocean Wise Recommended

Ocean Wise

Eco-Certification:

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) - OHV Dutch Waddenzee and Oosterschelde Hand Raked cockle

Variety

Cockle, Common

Cerastoderma edule

Method

Wild

Hand Implements

Location

FAO Area 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

Eco-Certification

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
OHV Dutch Waddenzee and Oosterschelde Hand Raked cockle

Market Names

Common Edible Cockle

Summary

Rationale: Ocean Wise recommends some, but not all Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fisheries. Click to learn more about how the MSC certification was bench-marked to Ocean Wise. This fishery meets conservation standards to become OWS recommended.

Learn more about harvest methods

Ocean Wise Recommended

Ocean Wise

Eco-Certification:

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) - OHV Dutch Waddenzee and Oosterschelde Hand Raked cockle

Variety

Cockle, Common

Cerastoderma edule

Method

Wild

Hand Implements

Location

FAO Area 27 (Atlantic, Northeast)

Eco-Certification

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
OHV Dutch Waddenzee and Oosterschelde Hand Raked cockle

Market Names

Common Edible Cockle

Summary

Rationale: Ocean Wise recommends some, but not all Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fisheries. Click to learn more about how the MSC certification was bench-marked to Ocean Wise. This fishery meets conservation standards to become OWS recommended. 

Learn more about harvest methods